2 74 ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Dr. Pratt. — English Russet (at Elgin). 

 Mr. Minkler. — Willow Twig, Jonathan. 

 Mr. Whitney — Jonathan. 



Mr. Galusha. — Jonathan, Willow, English Russet, Roman Stem. 

 The President announced, as the Committee on Treasurer's Report, 

 the names of S. G. Minkler, S. M. Slade, H. W. Williams. 



He then called for the reports upon gathering and keeping apples. 

 Mr. Galusha, from the committee read as follows: 



REPORT UPON GATHERING AND KEEPING APPLES. 



BY O. B. GALUSHA, MORRIS. 



In the old description, How to Dress a Hare, the first direction was 

 to catch the hare, and this catching the hare is an item of great impor- 

 tance, for if he is mutilated by dogs or clubs in the catching he might as 

 well go to the dogs altogether, for no after care or skill can make him 

 presentable either in the market or on the table. 



So with our apples, if not properly gathered, assorted and handled 

 their marlcet value is greatly impaired. 



We will, therefore, first pick our apples. The importance of careful 

 hand-picking has been reiterated until it is an old story to every one ; 

 yet it is one of that class of old stories which must be repeated, mentally 

 at least, else in the hurry and bustle of fruit-gathering it will be tempo- 

 rarily unheeded. 



' ^Apples designed for keeping should be handled as carefully as eggs ' ' 

 when preparing them for market. These words or those of similar import 

 have often been repeated at the meetings of this Society, still they are 

 probably disregarded by three-fourths of the orchardists within its limits, 

 as may be seen by standing in the markets during late autumn, when 

 apples are being brought in and sold. 



There is, however, a more serious mistake among orchardists than 

 this, viz.: that of putting abraded, bruised and wormy apples among 

 those intended for market or keeping for winter use. 



The general prevalence of the codling-moth, infesting as it does so 

 large a proportion of our apples, presents a strong temptation to the 

 orchardist to put in such wormy apples in packing for market as do not 

 exhibit any conspicuous marks of the work of the larvae. Those who do 

 so are short-sighted, if not absolutely culpable ; for such fruit is quite 

 liable to decay in the barrel, often affecting that in contact with it, and 

 thus detracting from the value and probably from the market price of the 

 whole. 



All such fruit should be put aside to be cooked and mixed with a 

 little meal, fed to stock or used for the manufacture of vinegar. 



Do the cider-drinkers ever reflect that almost every glass of cider 

 which they swallow is but a decoction of worms and their castings in 

 apple-juice ? 



